Media

" She was a leader not only on the grand stage of Washington, but also in her own hometown of Houston and within her family. Oveta was influential in Houston media. She was an editor for the Houston Post and made lots of big decisions for the newspaper which was the main form of news back then. She also pushed into radio and TV with other Houstonians because she saw the importance that those forms of media would have going forward." -Grace Oveta Hobby, Great-Granddaughter of Oveta Culp Hobby Personal Correspondence by F.P.Jackson, February 2, 2015.

Duluth News Tribune, August 30, 1942

The Hobby's took ownership of The Houston Post and she became Executive Vice President. She helped lead the Houston Post, KPRC TV and radio. Mrs. Hobby demonstrated leadership in politics, representing the unheard voice, civil rights, and left a legacy of women in the media today and influencing others to pursue jobs men thought they couldn't.

Politics

Mrs. Hobby authored "How and When in Parliamentary Law" and her legacy is evident in it still being used in legislature and by other organized groups. Hobby frequently supported politicians by endorsing some including Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon.

Mrs. Hobby, "How and When in Parliamentary Law", Houston Post, September 30 - October 2, 1931

representing the unheard voice

Mrs. Hobby represented those who weren't represented. She helped get women in the media and hired minorities.

The Houston Post Courtesy of Rice University, Woodson Research Center

﻿﻿"Mamau owned and operated a newspaper, The Houston Post, and a television station, Channel Two Television/KPRC-TV. She made sure that The Houston Post reflected the interests and concerns of all Houstonians, not just the white men who, traditionally, were the City’s leaders. She hired minorities and women to be newscasters on Houston television before anyone else did."﻿﻿ -Laura Beckworth, Granddaughter of Oveta Culp Hobby Personal Correspondence, February 10, 2015

﻿"Information is a right of man: man's right to know. What a man does with the information he acquires is a measure of his individual intelligence."﻿ -Mrs. Hobby's speech Place of Newspaper in the Field of Communication, March 23, 1953

civil rights

Mrs. Hobby fought for the rights of others. She wanted everyone to be equal and seen as an individual.

"It was a revelation of how much freedom we in the United States enjoy in contrast to other peoples of the world. It was a tremendous diversity of other nations' concepts of freedom...the state department staff that went with us fought just as hard as we did for a free press. It is significant that there is no difference between the United States journalistic and governmental point of view on this subject." -Houston Chronicle, May 23, 1948 Mrs. Hobby, Back Home, Asserts Freedom Means "Right to know".

"Freedom of speech, of religion, of association and of the press are basic to the American way of life...I will keep myself aware that my work is a service to my community, my nation and my world---that I serve all men rather than myself; that man's right to know, rather than the private furtherance of my own career, is, and must always be the first goal of my endeavor." -Mrs. Hobby at Annual Journalism Banquet, May 5, 1950.

Protesting racial and religious equality, Los Angeles Times, 1964.

"The Rule of thumb is a simple one: Regard each man and woman as an individual. Not as a Catholic, Protestant or Jew. Not as an Indian, American or European."

"Like or dislike a person for his own intrinsic qualities-not because he belongs to a different race or subscribes to a different religion-dignify him with individuality" -Mrs. Hobby's speech at National Conference of Christians and Jews Honorary Dinner, February 28, 1951

" It is a policy on our paper not to emphasize race in a criminal story unless in some unusual way pertinent to the events of the story. Yet not so long ago, I picked up a copy of the paper to read an assault story in which the reporter referred to the offender throughout as ' the Negro' instead of as 'the man' or by name." -Mrs. Hobby's speech Place of Newspaper in the Field of Communication, March 23, 1953.

women in the media

Mrs. Hobby provided opportunities for women in media. She led by example and received many accolades for her work despite it being predominantly a male profession. She influenced others to join media as well as create a lasting legacy and future for women.

Newspaper clipping from 1948, courtesy of Woodson Research Center

National Federation of Press Women Inc., June 26, 1939.

Governor (front) and Oveta Culp Hobby (middle) ,KPRC-TV, July of 1952. Courtesy of BIll and Paul Hobby, Family Photos and Archives.

"...the chairmen of the American Daily Newspapers Association at that time was named Garner Cowles...he opens the door and says “Well, Mrs. Hobby, please come in.”...And she said “Can I do this? Am I up to this?” She was scared to death. So if you ever think that great people aren't scared or they don’t doubt themselves or you think they are born with confidence and purpose. If you ever doubt yourself, don't think you’re not a great person. Great people doubt themselves a lot. The problem is then they push through it.They do something about it." -Paul Hobby, Grandson of Oveta Culp Hobby, Personal Interview, February 5, 2015.

Citation from the National Federation of Press Women Inc., June 26, 1939.

Newspaper clippings from Outstanding Women in Business Editors Pick, Houston Post, March 23, 1970 Courtesy of Rice University Woodson Research Center.

"Finding a job as a lawyer in Houston, Texas, was a serious challenge for a woman…There were no women television news reporters in Houston at that time…having her [Mrs. Hobby's] television station put the first woman on broadcast news was right up her alley…By giving me my first chance, Oveta Culp Hobby changed my career path dramatically."